Teacher preparation in Yemen [Archives:2005/854/Education]

By Hussein al-Nouri
[email protected]
Colleges of Education in Yemen are responsible for preparing secondary school teachers. Although it is true that in the existing training modules due attention is paid to sensitizing the pupil teachers in specific areas of specialization, general culture studies and vocational preparation, yet there seems to be an abiding need for the inclusion of a component relating to leadership qualities.

It is commonly agreed that, in addition to achieving proficiency in the curricular components, efficient teachers ought to inculcate in themselves leadership qualities, which is very important especially in the classroom because the teacher is the nucleus of the teaching-learning context. It is therefore essential that the teacher projects himself/herself as a good leader with a vibrant and dynamic personality, capable of a close interaction with the pupils.

Theories of leadership highlight the saliency of developing a broad awareness about major social trends on the part of teachers. The situational theory of leadership, too, focuses on the role of the social factors in promoting leadership qualities,and its far reaching effect in exercising appropriate degree of control.

As such, it is only proper that the pre-service as well as in-service teacher preparation modules in vogue in Yemen include cultivation of leadership qualities in the teacher trainees.
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